Anyone for a Road Trip?

Jack Swarbrick unveiled the long-overdue schedules for the next 3 seasons this week. This is a preview of our future with the ACC.

I know we all love making the pilgrimage to South Bend for a game every year or two, but I look at this schedule and my eyes widen with the road games we have coming up. I wonder if anyone would consider making a road trip or two with me. Here are some that I would really love to see:

• 9/13/2014 Purdue @ Lucas Oil Stadium in Indy (Close for me and an awesome stadium)
• 9/27/2014 Syracuse @ MetLife Stadium in NY (Trip to NY anyone???)
• 11/1/2014 Navy @ FedEx Field in DC (Home game for DC folks)

• 9/12/2015 Virginia @ Charlottsville, VA (I hear this place is BEAUTIFUL)
• 10/3/2015 Clemson @ Clemson, SC (A true raucous road game)
• 10/31/2015 Temple @ Lincoln Financial Field in Philly (Home game for Philly folks)
• 11/21/2015 BC @ Fenway Park in Boston (1st football game in 45 years)

• 9/3/16 Texas @ Austin, TX (Yeah, Texas)
• 10/1/2016 Syracuse @ MetLife Stadium in NY (If it doesn't work out in 2014, another chance)

Keep it cheap, keep it simple. (With the exception being a possible NY family trip). I would also recommend we try to use our ND ticket contacts (Uncle Dan, Dr. Fox, Mr. Paulus) to get the tickets. Some of these sites will be hostile.  I would also imagine trying to buy them online will be VERY expensive. This will be the first Notre Dame visit to several of these locations, and regardless of what anyone says, these teams' fans will be dying to see us.

So anyone in???

Next?

So Breaking Bad is no more. I didn't got into it from the outset, but after being told for the 100th time that it was the best TV show ever, I downloaded the series and watched it. Yeah, it was great. Not only that, but it helped redefine television as perhaps the dominant artistic medium in entertainment. More than ever, big named actors and directors are joining TV casts, and the most interesting creative stories are being told on the small screen.

It can all be difficult to digest because there seem to be SO MANY great shows on TV right now. No normal person can watch them all. DVR helps, but on-demand and internet streaming is the key. Right now, I watch 2 or 3 shows on a weekly basis. Then, I fill in my free time (summer, show hiatus periods) with shows that I already know are good from internet streaming/download. This is great because a lot of these awesome new shows (I'm looking at you Game of Thrones) have 10 episodes seasons, and then 9 months of nothing!!!

So given the humongous success of The Walking Dead (the top rated show on all channels, not just cable), it is obvious that the next big series on my radar would get the greenlight. You should all look out for The Strain when it drops next year on FX. I actually started to read this trilogy back in 2011 on our beach vacation. It's co-authored by Guillermo del Toro and Chuck Hogan. This is a fun series that was clearly written by a movie director. Never did I doubt that it would find it's way to the screen someday. I hope the suspense and amazing visuals evoked by reading these books can translate to television. It's kind of like The Walking Dead, except things actually happen, the characters do things and go places, and there is a point to their actions beyond just staying alive.

Sorry for the rant there. I've been very underwhelmed by Season 4 of The Walking Dead. 6 episodes and all they've done is get sick from a virus. Awful.

So if they can do the effects right and make a gritty, realistic series in the style of The Walking Dead, I think this could be another big TV hit. On that note, maybe give the first book a read. You'll like it a lot. The backstory on where the vampires came from and how they survived to the present is so different and unique that it's worth reading just for that. A popcorn book with great mythology and ideas.

Honest Trailers

Okay, has anyone heard of this series from Screen Junkies? I just saw the newest version for Man of Steel. Look, I loved the movie and have it in 3D Bluray at home right now. However, this thing is absolutely hilarious. Watch it and try not to laugh out loud. Having actually seen the movie might be a prerequisite though. Major spoiler alert warning on this one. I plan on spending some time watching a few more of these Honest Trailers. Priceless!

Hitchhikers

So the USWNT had some bus issues last week after practice. Their team bus broke down on the side of the road in Orlando. So what did they do? Put their thumbs up and hitched a ride back to the team hotel!!! This photo is priceless. That a young girl and her mom picked some of them up is even better! Check the link for more awesome fan shots!

Fans give a lift to Alex Morgan, Sydney Leroux and others!

Of course any of us would gladly give a lift to the easy on the eyes women's team. However, it raises the question: who would you refuse to give a ride to from the USMNT players? There are a few that I'd prefer didn't make it to the game on-time!!!

I'll Bid $1

Toni Kukoc included as your personal butler!

Admit it, you watch those HGTV shows about house hunting around America and the world. It's almost impossible to switch, especially when it's a young family looking in the $500K-$1M range. You imagine yourself with all these options, but then quickly come back to realize that house hunting is a painful, merciless endeavor.

Taking that urge to the max, this is total house hunting porn! Take a look at MJ's estate. Originally listed at $29M, but clearly he's got a limited market. Now going to auction, I say we pool our spare change and put in a bid!

Guinea Pig Hero

Big media likes to throw around the term "hero" a lot these days.  However, I believe it should be reserved for true acts of heroism.  Here's to you Sooty, a true hero.

Old Spock New Spock

This is awesome:




Also, in case you were curious:

NSA has Nothing on the Internet!

Lightbeam Firefox add-on

Look, we all know it happens. Every web site you visit collects data on you, and will try to leverage that into ads and getting you to click other websites. Of course, over time this creates a profile on you. For me, I don't really care. For some, this is a pretty big deal. So for the crazies out there who won't drive a GPS-enabled car because the government can track you (I know a couple people like that) Mozilla will become your new best friend!

There is a new Firefox add-on called Lightbeam. It's a free, quick install, and it runs quietly in the background. It monitors your internet use, and shows the different 3rd party sites that are tracking you. It does it in a pretty graphic format too, that is super easy to use. I literally just installed it, and visited 2 sites, Google and Blogger. From that, 31 3rd party sites connected with me. That is absolutely insane!

Look, there is just no way around it. The internet offers literally unlimited options to learn, purchase, explore, entertain, connect to friends or whatever. For the most part it's ALL FREE! If you want this awesome tool, you have to accept that there are people trying to make a buck off you. Keep your passwords safe, use virus/webscan software, and don't visit file stealing sites or porn. You'll be fine.

In the meantime, switch to Firefox (it's the best browser anyway) and install this little add-on. It's very, very interesting.

Ender

I am a total sucker for infographics. When I saw this one which doubles as a movie poster, I immediately had to post it.  

Look, we all love the book, but I have no idea if the story will work as a movie. I have been literally holding my breath in anticipation of this one. The story has the potential to be one of the best sci-fi movies ever. It could also fall flat. I have avoided all reviews, but I see it's tracking at about 70% on Rotten Tomatoes, so there is hope. In a never before momentous event, Ali and I got a sitter and will meet Mom and Dad for dinner and a movie in glorious IMAX on Friday! I would recommend everyone see it soon. If it turns out to be awesome*, I will be forced to immediately post!

*Awesome is defined as me wiping because I "got something in my eye".

Ready for Thanksgiving!

Let all the youngin's know, tractor rides are open for business! Took the cart for a test spin yesterday around the neighborhood. It fit Ali and the girls no problem. I even have 2 bungee cords that can be fastened as makeshift seatbelts.

Still working on a fun course. I was hoping to go through the trails, but the bridges are too narrow for the tractor. It will be plenty fun and bumpy though!

Hell. Yes.

 

Perhaps the single greatest movie/candy tie-in in the history of the world. Not yet available for purchase, but damn it needs to be!

Samsonite, I Was Way Off!

How excited are you about this sequel?  This was one of the few movies ever that I literally watched back to back because it was so good.  Radio?  Who needs a radio?

Butt Slide!

The Reds may blow it and miss the playoffs this year, but 2013 will always have this all-time gem to look back on!!! Of course he was OUT!

We've all done it...

USA! USA! USA!

Here we come Brazil!

The Michigan "Rivalry"

The outcry over the loss of what has suddenly become the most storied rivalry in college football is both disingenuous and laughable.

Mark May:

"I can't have much doubt. I think it's a terrific rivalry. And when GameDay comes to town they know it's a big game, everybody knows it's a big game. Growing up in upstate New York, I used to watch it when I was growing up, when it was on television."

Skip Bayless:

"This is not an historical... Are you kidding me? I mean, I grew up, I couldn't wait for Michigan-Notre Dame, going back to Bubba Smith."

Really Mark? The first time Notre Dame played Michigan in your lifetime was 1978. You were at Pitt and had a game that day against Temple, so I assume you didn't watch it. Skip, you were 26 the first time these teams met in 1978 - and Bubba Smith played for Michigan State!

Without going into too much detail, there is an amazing article that talks about the actual facts behind this rivalry. Jim Lefebvre gives a great summary of this series' history. Here are some highlights:

• 1887: Notre Dame's first football game is a loss to Michigan.
• 1888 - 1909: These schools play 8 more times as college football is born.
• 1909: Notre Dame finally beats Michigan.
• 1910: Notre Dame boards the team bus for the road trip to Ann Arbor for the Michigan game. At Niles, they are turned around, as Fielding Yost cancels the game. How's that for notice!
• 1910-1941: Yost's hatred of Notre Dame, born of that loss and his well-known anti-Catholicism, prevents Notre Dame from playing Michigan, and blackballs them from joining the Big Ten. Don't believe anti-Catholicism was real? Read the linked article above or try this one: Notre Dame Battles the KKK.
• 1942-1943: The series resumes only after Yost retires.
• 1944-1977: Another loooong hiatus as Michigan just can't get over it's ND hatred.
• 1978: The rivalry is renewed and carries on in the modern era.
• 2007: Both schools sign a 20 year extension of the series that runs through 2031.
• 2010: Michigan athletic director David Brandon announced that the deal had never been signed, and that the two schools were playing without a real "contract" right now. He continued to say that their mutual agreement to play allows for either side to pull out of the rivalry with three years notice.
• 2012: Michigan notifies Notre Dame that they will exercise that option and cancels games in 2018-2019 with "plans" to renew after 2020. No reason, except rumored Big Ten expansion to 9 conference games.
• 2012: Notre Dame later notifies Michigan that they will also exercise the same option and cancels games in 2015-2017. This is due to Notre Dame's deal with the ACC.

So you can see that Brady Hokes posturing and ripping Notre Dame for "chickening out"  is ridiculous. He is blatantly ignoring the actual facts and history of this series. Clearly, Michigan has called the shots and continuously crapped on Notre Dame out of hatred, bigotry and spite. The current hiatus that will begin in 2015 is simply due to conference realignment. Had the B1G not added 2 ACC schools, we probably wouldn't have allied with the ACC, and likely would still be playing Michigan every year.

So as we all sit back this Saturday night, drink our Pumking, and watch the Irish kick the living crap out of Michigan, pull this post up on your iPhone and reference the facts every time some yahoo rips ND for cancelling this "storied" rivalry. I'm sure Brent and Herbie will have a field day tearing into Notre Dame.

Can a Website Jump the Shark?

Heyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy!

So we've all used the term for TV. It's the precise moment when a formerly great show takes that final and fatal turn for the worse. Fonzie was the original on Happy Days, but nearly every show has "that" moment. I wonder if the same can be said of a website?

Movies are a favorite topic hear on The Royal Heffernans blog. Probably 2nd only to Notre Dame. I own hundreds of movies, and am embracing the new technology and streaming more and more at home. Obviously, keeping up with upcoming movies online is a big part of that. For many years, my "go to" website was Ain't It Cool News. Harry Knowles and his crew liked the types of movies I liked. They had great sources, and always seemed to have the scoop on exciting new projects. They were irreverent, and would tear down a movie if it wasn't any good. It was almost a one stop shop for movie info.

Now, I think that has changed. For many reasons (all of which I will not go into here), the fans of this website, which was once the pinnacle of online movie news, have turned on Harry and the site. Suffice it to say that the quality of the website has gone down. Reviews are no longer trusted. The appearance of the website seems woefully behind the rest of the internet. Exclusive news and scoops are fewer and farther between. The website has also had some financial difficulties. 

In an effort to reinvent his brand, Harry started a web series titled, Ain't It Cool with Harry Knowles. He produced a series of short episodes, of which I had no interest in watching. By most accounts, they were self-indulgent and smarmy. In any case, Harry wanted to take his series to the next level and up the ante for season 2. So he did what anyone in Hollywood would do - he followed the current trend. That would be crowd-sourced financing.

So not only did Harry ask for financing for his new season. He WANTS $300k to build a studio, produce a show, pay for guests travel and even get a TV partner! However, he NEEDS $100k at a minimum just to allow production of the season. Why he needs that much for a web series, only Harry knows. However, the backlash has been merciless. In the most active talkbalk I have ever seen on AICN, thousands of former fans are lashing out at Harry and the Kickstarter campaign. I'll let talkbalker reflecto say it on his top comment:

Okay, look, in all seriousness, Harry:

WHY SHOULD ANYONE FUND THIS?

The "first season" was just a vanity project for you - all about you, starring you, about you and your fabulous toys which you have and no one else does and we're supposed to envy you. Any guest who came on who had accomplished more than you from humble roots (like the writer of Sinister) you shit on.

You blatantly distributed fake information on the Prometheus script then refused to properly apologize and laughed it off like a joke. Just like you've refused to properly apologize for so many plant reviews. Refused to apologize for gross errors in judgment like promising for a decade to update the site and failing to, and never bothering to properly set up regular communication with your consumer base. Refused to apologize for going into movies reviewing them "in your head" as the movie you imagine them to be as opposed to the movie they are - whether good (in the case of Chris Nolan) or bad (in the case of most summer movies of the last five years which you hyped yourself about because of a director or property, regardless of the film's actual quality). You refuse to apologize for even penny-ante mistakes like being too lazy to do your DVD column, or "Brian Cox", or when you watch screeners instead of going to the actual movie. You refuse to admit any fault. You refuse to acknowledge any failure. Because to you, everyone here with a valid complaint is just a cranky joke you call "Boiler", and their negativity (and your crippling debt) doesn't belong in Harry's magical world of movies where he's special and really cool and you're not, don't you want to be just like him?

And now you expect the "Boilers" to fund another season of a boring show that is all about you, all about your toys, all about your ego and has nothing to offer the world.

Have the balls to reply to your users for once, and tell me exactly why anyone should do that after everything else I've just described.

Umm, yeah. This project is going down in flames, and I think the end is nigh for Ain't It Cool News. Any other great movie sites out there that people are following? Tough to find that one site...

• /Film
• HitFix
• Collider

Game Week!

Football game this weekend: CHECK

Game watch party in 110" HD: CHECK

Optional 3D for 6 fans: CHECK

New ND hat to replace tainted hat worn to the National Championship: CHECK

The season is finally upon us! No more worrying about recruiting, 2-deeps and crummy practice reports. On Saturday, the real deal starts up again as Notre Dame faces off against Temple. My optimism, as usual abounds.

A recent post I made identified my 3 keys to the season. I am sticking with these 100%. In addition, I'm not the only one who feels this way:

1) Rees' development as a QB

The Rock Report had an outstanding article evaluating Rees, in particular his sophomore year in which he was THE man after Crist was pulled. The numbers are shocking, and the prospects for Rees to do well in 2013 look good!

2) Normal team development

Not that this is my favorite site, but The Rock Report had another great article on 2013. It makes a ton of sense, even if you take off the blue/gold tinted glasses.

3) Michigan

Think this isn't important? Think again. Michigan has been prepping for this with practice simulations during fall camp. The old days of Lou and Bo going back and forth are back. Again, we win this, and I think we are in a BCS bowl. We lose, and the season could go off the tracks. You know we'll use vanilla formations all day long against Temple. Like Holtz, Kelly will not tip his hand for the next game! So I expect to see a lot of hand offs up the middle, and a lot of player rotation. I'm totally fine with hiding every bit of info possible from Hoke. No practice coverage, fine. Keep our new gamebreakers under wraps, fine. Eeek out a 10 point win against Temple, fine. The only important thing is winning. If these tactics give us a better shot against Michigan, then use 'em!

Should we roll over Temple this week? Yeah. Will I be upset if I don't see amazing offensive fireworks, or if Temple gets a few too many points on the board? NO WAY!!!

I think the media has overlooked what Kelly has built here at ND. In four short years, our talent is strong and deep. Has everyone forgotten we were in the National Championship last year? There really is no reason why we can't get back there. Preseason rankings in the teens are really a joke.

This team can truly compete for a National Championship. Of that I have no doubt. We'll be favored in all but maybe Michigan and Stanford. While it's very hard to go 12-0, I think 11-1 is what we're looking at this year if we achieve the keys to the season above. Then, keep your fingers crossed! Naysayers who are talking 5 losses must be insane. This team has too much talent, and now we have experience and a desire to get to the top of the mountain. The 5-loss underachieving days of Weis are long gone. I think we may be in for another run in 2013.

T -3 days!

 

Store tonight, pack tomorrow, leave Friday and the fun begins Saturday!!! The beach looks awesome. Nice waves, water is 82 degrees, and the forecast looks to be in the mid to high 80's all week! 

Just in case anyone has forgotten, here's the floorplan:

And a lovely video from the website with awesome elevator music!


I am getting really pumped up. Can't wait for the cousins to go nuts. Piper is a little person now too. She will be EVERYWHERE! As a last minute purchase, we got a fancy sun-shade for the beach for Piper. It will be a good place for the littlest ones to get some shade and stay out for longer! See you all soon!!!

NFL Skates By Again!

In a similar vein to my other post today, the other hot topic in sports right now is the announcement of MLB suspensions in the wake of the Biogenesis scandal. While MLB and baseball pats itself on the back saying they have finally turned around PEDs in baseball, I would tell them to simmer down. Does anyone really think Tony Bosch is the "Thomas Edison" of PEDs? Have we already forgotten Victor Conte? For every PED lab that gets busted, I guarantee there are 9 that go undetected. While I agree that PED use in baseball has turned around, I would still estimate conservatively that there are about 10 times more players using than are busted. But at least the players are changing their tune and getting involved in cleaning things up. That's a huge development.

All that being said, I would like to redirect the focus on the NFL. For the life of me, I can't figure out how the NFL is able to skate by without any repercussions from PED use, when baseball gets continually hammered. After reading about and thinking about this a lot, I think it has to do with a combination 3 factors:

1. Baseball's reliance on stats and historical records.
2. The average baseball fan is older and more traditional.
3. Many of baseball's greatest players of this era have been implicated.

I would be willing to bet that if Tom Brady, Laurence Taylor, Emmitt Smith, Jerry Rice and about 20 others had been busted, we'd be looking a lot harder at the NFL and PEDs. If one were to look, you would see things like the above infographic.

This just in... NFL players are HUGE! Research over the last 70 years has shown the overall weight of NFL players has increased about 1.5 pounds per year. That's unbelievable! Even more amazing is the body transformation. Another study showed that while the height and weight of players has increased, the body fat % has not kept pace, staying similar or actually decreasing over that time!!! Don't forget the amazing speed. How about a 6'8" 280 lb D-lineman running a 4.6 40 yard dash! That's just one example.

So is this all attributed to nutrition, weight-lifting and supplements? Hell no! PED use in the NFL is rampant, and anyone who says otherwise is just not watching football. I don't think human beings have evolved that much over the last 70 years. Charles Darwin is probably rolling over in his grave at the mere suggestion. The really interesting corollary is that if I'm right (and I think I am), either the NFL has the worst testing in sports, or the teams/league are all in on it. Judge for yourself.

I love football, but I'm not a blind idiot. When AP comes back less than a year after an ACL tear and almost breaks the single season rushing record, I know something is up. I also love baseball, and it just seems inherently unfair that if a player has a huge year (Chris Davis), or has a resurgence in his 30's, he's automatically using PEDs. By the way, if you think the NBA and NHL are PED-free, I've got a nice beachfront property to sell you in South Dakota!

Manti For Heisman*

Mug shot of 2012 Heisman Trophy winner Johnny Football

Okay, I could take this post down the path that the title suggests, and you all think I will. I could detail Manziel's run-in with the law that almost got him kicked out of A&M before his Heisman season. I could focus on the endless series of questionable choices and decisions by Manziel since the season ended. I could complain about how unfair the media treated Te'o following his catfish incident. BUT I WON'T!

Instead, I'm going to use Manziel's latest incident (which may get him ruled ineligible for the upcoming season) and discuss the notion of paying college athletes.

For anyone who hasn't watched or read any sports in the last week, Manziel is in hot water because he allegedly was paid 5-figures to sign a batch of memorabilia at the BCS National Championship Game in January. The NCAA was right on this because a FLOOD of Manziel items hit the market on eBay all at once, looking very suspicious. Of course, all parties are very quiet right now as the investigation proceeds at a rapid pace. All except an anonymous memorabilia guy who says Manziel's "handler/friend" told him that Johnny Football would no longer be signing for free.

I don't know what will happen to Manziel, and I don't care. The issue at hand is that of paying NCAA athletes. As you listen to the radio or read articles, all the discussion on the Manziel incident has focused on:

A) How stupid he was to do this and get caught

B) How stupid it is that an NCAA player cannot sell his own likeness for money

While I whole-heartedly afree with point A), I think people are absolutely ignorant if they support point B).

Let me give you a little example. The NCAA says it will allow athletes to sell autographs, as long as they don't have any school logos. Just autographs with your picture or on a generic ball or shirt. Seems reasonable on the surface, right? So what happens when South Carolina has a booster who owns a memorabilia business. All the Gamecock players are shuffled over and get between $500 and $1000 each to sign for an afternoon. Great source of income. Over time, coaches could casually mention this when recruiting players. Now South Carolina has a significant recruiting advantage. 

What happens next? Do I even have to say it? Alabama sees this. So they find a rich booster to start his own "memorabilia" business. However, he pays star players $100,000 to sign a few items. Totally legal, because he's just paying for an autograph or picture. Now, USC has a booster who works in Hollywood producing films. He gets a couple guys from the Trojans to have small parts in his new movie. They are paid for their own work based upon their likeness and recognition. Also totally allowed.

Can you see how this works? Any tiny little crack in the door will blow the whole damn thing up! It's really all or nothing with college sports. Either you pay them or you don't. If you don't, they'll find ways to cheat, and the better cheaters will have an advantage. That's the SEC right now. Don't believe me? Ask Urban Meyer about how recruiting works in the SEC. If you do pay them, there will be even more of an advantage for the richer schools who can pay more and offer more extra benefits than other non-traditional powers.

I really don't think paying NCAA athletes is a good idea. Sure there's so much money in the newer TV contracts, but these athletes do get full rides to college that are worth anywhere from $100,000 to $300,000. I think a reasonable step would be to allow Division 1 athletes a stipend to support cost of living. I think this would have three great results: 

1) Athletes would be less tempted to cheat and make a dumb decision to get extra cash.

2) It would be standardized for all D1 athletes in all sports. This would level the field for all schools.

3) Current D1 schools that are not making the big bucks would have to drop to D2, thus filtering out the glut of schools who really shouldn't be D1 anyway.

*I still think Te'o was robbed and should be retroactively awarded the Heisman when they strip it from Manziel!

Irish Football 2013

You knew it was coming. Our first official blog post of the 2013 ND Football season! Brian Kelly held his opening press conference of the season today, thus ending one of the most painful offseasons in memory. Let's recap the top story lines shall we?

• From the highest of the highs to the lowest of the lows, our beatdown by Alabama ended 2012 with a very sour taste in our mouths.
• Kelly's flirtation with the NFL, perhaps costing us a couple recruits.
• The Manti T'eo catfish saga. What the press did to him is reprehensible.
• The dismissal of starting QB Everett Golson from school.
• The flip by Eddie Vanderdoes (future NFL D-lineman) AFTER he had signed a binding letter of intent. He went to UCLA, appealed to the NCAA, and was cleared to play THIS SEASON!!! Brave new world in which a LOI means nothing.

So let's just throw all that crap out the window right now. I admit, I was pretty pessimistic for 2013 after the Golson issue, but after reading about the presser today, I am really trying to temper my enthusiasm. Now, I remember that we really are a very talented, deep team. There are 3 keys to the season in my mind, and they are pretty simple:

1) Rees' development as a QB
Rees was an okay QB when he was our starter 2 years ago. If (as Kelly says) he truly has developed and improved, you can't tell me he couldn't do for ND what recent SEC QBs have done for their National Championship teams. That means NO BIG MISTAKES and converting those 3rd and short situations.

2) Normal team development
We have a TON of people back. A good coaching staff should create incremental improvement in its players. If we improve as expected at several positions, we could have an overall better team than 2012.

3) Michigan
The importance and magnitude of this game cannot be understated. They are ready. It's at the biggish house. Last trip there in the foreseeable future. Night. This will be huge. If we can pull out a victory (I think we'll be underdogs), that could set the tone for the rest of the season. A loss could derail things.

Given those, as always it will take a few breaks to finish this season like last. That Stanford game could end up being for a BCS game. Yet another stressful Thanksgiving Saturday night! I will reign back my gloom and doom predictions from earlier this spring and say we end up 10-2 with an at-large BCS bowl game.

Xenu's Revenge!

Look, we all know what Scientology is. It's a pyramid scheme hiding behind the veil of religion. Look, don't take my word for it, take the words of founder L. Ron Hubbard:

"You don't get rich writing science fiction. If you want to get rich, you start a religion."

I think most rational people understand that Scientology is just a cult. I was willing to laugh at them and make fun of the sycophants like Tom Cruise and Jenna Elfman. I always love a good article on a recent scientologist defection, and saw one today on the main CNN page. It was a video (which I refuse to watch), so I Googled the topic to see what it was about. That sent me spiraling down the internet rabbit hole on one of the most shocking series of articles I have ever read:

NY Daily News
This article summarizes what happened with Leah Remini. She was friends with Shelly Miscavige, the wife of the leader of Scientology. She questioned where her friend went, as she has not been seen or heard from since 2007. She also questioned Tom Cruise's relationship with said leader, David Miscavige.

Michele Miscavige
That brought me to the next link, the Wikipedia entry on this missing person. Read about her disappearance. It's totally f-ed up! Can you imagine if Michelle Obama disappeared for 6 years, and Barak said she was working for the government at an undisclosed location? The article suggests she may be at a secret Scientology location known as The Hole. Of course I needed to know more.

The Hole
This is perhaps the most incredible read on Scientology I have ever had. Take the time to go through it. It's not conjecture. These are stories and info confirmed by the official Scientologist spokespeople. Some gems:

"According to Janet Reitman, in the late fall of 2004 Miscavige called together 70 senior Church executives in a pair of double-wide trailers normally used as the international management team's offices. They were ordered to play a game of musical chairs in the management conference room. Those who failed to get a chair when the music stopped would be "offloaded" from the base to be sent away from their spouses and children to languish in the most remote and unpleasant locations in Scientology's empire. As Queen's Greatest Hits was played, the competition for seats became increasingly fierce: "By the time the number had dwindled to twenty, people were throwing one another against the walls, ripping seats from one another's hands, wrestling one another to the floor."< At the end of the contest, Miscavige ordered that all the executives were to stay in the conference room and sleep under the tables until further notice. They stayed there for the next few days, with occasional deliveries of food, before being released."

And what happens if you get sent here and want to leave, or quit Scientology?

"The perimeter of the base is closely guarded around the clock. It is ringed with high fences that are topped with spikes and razor wire and monitored by inward-facing motion sensors to detect anyone trying to climb out of the compound. The Tampa Bay Times reported that dozens of workers tried to escape from the base – some of them repeatedly – but were caught and returned by Sea Org "pursuit teams". The escapees are said to have been subjected to isolation, interrogation and punishment on their return to the compound."

Uh, is that legal? Good luck trying to find out. It's all "religious" business and I don't know how this could even be investigated by authorities.

Wow. Just wow.

Hooray for PBS!

I can't stand reality television. It was the first step in the dumbening (Is that how you spell dumbening? Wait, dumbening isn't even a word. Hmmm...) of America. I don't watch much television in general, but when I do I often find myself gravitating to PBS, or, at least, their imported BBC specials like Sherlock. Anyway, it looks like PBS shares my feelings regarding reality television based on a series of new ads mocking reality television, in general, and the portion of the populace that actually watches them, specifically. It started with a series of fake subway poster ads:

And it has since escalated into video parodies:

God bless you, PBS. Never change - except get rid of that horrible American Woodshop show and bring back New Yankee Workshop. Scott Phillips is a hack.

Totally Underated

As I mentioned on a recent post, I have entered the world of streaming home video with arms open wide. One of the big advantages is that it makes it very easy to see a lot of movies that you otherwise might skip. There are a lot of movies I wouldn't buy on DVD or Blu. Video stores are almost gone from existence. Also, Netflix sucks. Redbox is not so bad, but they have a limited selection of new stuff. With streaming, tons of stuff is available for free. If not, you can rent or purchase online (or download for free if you are a filthy cheat stealing from Hollywood).

So I am starting a post to find awesome movies that I may have missed. Think about it like this: are there any movies that you constantly recommend to friends that they probably haven't seen? I find myself doing that with a few. Maybe not masterpieces, but great movies that are must sees. I'll start off with a couple that I love, and if you want to add to the post, go for it. If you can't publish, add a comment, and we can amend the post. Might be cool to get a good list together.

Kick-Ass
This is an unbelievable action flick. What I originally mistook for yet another third-rate comic turned film to cash in on the comic book craze is in fact one of the very best comic book/superhero films out there. You know the glowing surprise in the case from Pulp Fiction that comes up again and again, yet they never show what it is? There is a similar plot device in Kick-Ass - except they do show you, and holy god does the reveal pay off!!! See this movie, and get ready for Kick-Ass 2 this summer!

Primer
Shane Carruth may be a one-hit-wonder filmmaker (Upstream Color was rough), but if Primer is his one hit, he is a success. Without a doubt, the best time-travel movie ever made, period. This one is so realistic, it seems like it could really happen, hell, maybe it has! Half the fun is watching it again and again to try and figure out the multiple timelines. Don't worry. There is a handy info-graphic online that will diagram the whole thing for you if you need a hand. It will blow your mind!

Walk Hard
I love John C. Reilly. He has to be one of the finest actors in Hollywood. Everything he touches turns to gold. Even in the crap movies he's in, he steals the show. This is one of his few turns as a leading man. It beautifully combines his comedic genius and awesome singing voice in this blatant spoof of Walk the Line. I never hear anyone bring this one up, and I think it just got overlooked. This movie makes me laugh out loud repeatedly, and is even funnier if you've seen Walk the Line. Listen to the lyrics of his songs, and look out for Tim Meadows. He has a repeating gag in this one that is brilliant.

King of Kong
Have to agree with Colin on this one. Just a riveting doc about Donkey Kong. That seems ludicrous to type, but it's true. Watch it.

Role Models
So Colin clearly loves Sean William Scott! I'll give him one listing here. I've seen Goon, and it is great. However, I've got to add something that I haven't seen yet! I'll be checking this one out soon.

Where the Hell Do I Aim???

Oh the horror!

I recently stumbled upon a horrifying truth, quite by accident... 

I rarely buy new clothes. In fact, were I not married, I would probably have the same exact clothes in my closet as I had 10 years ago. As it is, one item that I get a lot of wear out of is khaki shorts. I wear them constantly from April through October. Like most guys, I have several pairs in the rotation. After a year of wear, they are perfectly broken in. After 2 years, they start to show their age. After 3, discoloration starts and fraying is close behind. For whatever reason, all my shorts fell apart at the end of last summer. So I searched the stores for a new style of go to khaki shorts.

After much searching (these gotta last for a while) I found the Men's Ultimate ROC Short by Columbia. They are cotton, not the crazy nylon crap a lot of similar shorts are these days. They have a nicely-fitting 9" inseam, and don't extend below the knee. They have useful pockets, but are not cargo style meaning I can dress them up a bit too. They even offer UPF 50 protection from the sun, although most non-nudists don't have too much trouble with butt burns!

However, it's one feature of these shorts that led me to my inadvertent discovery:

• Omni-Shield advanced repellency treatment wards off rain and stains

It's pretty self-explanatory. They are treated to be slightly water repellent. What actually happens is small amounts of water bead up on the fabric. Certainly not water proof. So imagine my surprise the first time I wore them and used a public urinal. I zipped up, walked over to the sink and noticed beads of water on the front of my shorts - urine! Thinking maybe it was an unusual occurrence (more water than usual in the urinal), I wiped them clean and moved on. However, I have come to realize this was not a one-time occurrence. Using a urinal splatters you with piss! 

So now questions are running through my head:

• Is the shorty urinal better than the the taller adult one?
• Is there a specific target I should be aiming for?
• Should I shit-can the whole urinal and use the toilet?
• What the hell happens if there aren't urinal dividers and someone is next to you?
• Can I ever piss in a trough-style latrine at a stadium again?

38 years of life, and only now have I realized this! Damn you Columbia! (But the shorts still totally rock!)

The Future is Here

If the industry hasn't already done so, I'll go ahead and do it for them. I have long been the biggest supporter of home video. I own literally hundreds of VHS, then DVD and now blu-rays. Today, I am waving the white flag and surrendering.

For a year, I have been using my blu-ray player in the basement to access online content through Amazon and Vudu. We used it sporadically, mostly to watch free Amazon Prime shows for the girls, or older free movies. I used Vudu a handful of times to rent a new release because it is one of the few that offered 1080p and 5.1 sound. Then, I discovered something cool. When you buy a movie, it usually has a "digital copy". I had been saving those in iTunes. Now, they have switched over to Ultraviolet. This is a service that verifies your movie, then allows you to access it from the cloud. At first I was ticked because I couldn't actually save the file on my computer, making iTunes useless. Then I realized I could link Vudu to Ultraviolet, and watch my movies anywhere online - including streaming them from my blu-ray player.

Suddenly, I started to use this streaming more and more. I soon realized how great it was, so I decided I had to be able to do the same upstairs. After reading nothing but amazing reviews on the new Roku 3, I made the $99 purchase and set it up. Do you remember the first time you used TiVo? It was just like that. I knew things would never be the same. Two days later, I bought a second unit for the basement.

Internet streaming media players are the future of viewing.

Blu-ray
Physical media for movies and television is an endangered species. A long series of formats has progressed since actual film reels were used in high end home movie theaters. Film gave way to VideoDiscs, gave way to LaserDiscs, gave way to Betamax, gave way to VHS, gave way to DIVX, gave way to DVD, gave way to HD-DVD, gave way to Blu-ray. Now, I think people will soon stop buying DVDs and blu-rays, because every movie is quickly available to rent or purchase through a number of online movie services. Amazon, iTunes, Vudu, Blockbuster and Netflix are but a few. The prices are actually comparable to buying a disc, which tells you something. If they charge the same price, but don't have to manufacture and ship the disc, the studios MAKE MORE MONEY! I have even seen quite a few big titles get released online BEFORE the blu-ray comes out. Prometheus is a recent example. Oh yeah, you can buy it and watch whenever you want.

Do you remember that painful day when you made the iTunes plunge? You decided that you were going to rip all your hundreds of CDs into iTunes and go all digital. It was a little scary, and took a long time painfully inserting disc after disc. But when you were done - glorious! That day is coming for me very soon with video. No, I'm not going to rip all my DVDs and Blus. That would take a year. For $1, you can load your disc into your computer, connect to Vudu, get it verified and have your own purchased copy to stream online. Yeah, sucks to have to pay, but it will be worth it. Literally hundreds of movies at your finger tips to watch from your phone, any computer or any TV.


Television
The other shoe will drop when cable providers, or channels themselves provide their content directly to streaming devices. Right now, services like Amazon and Hulu allow you to keep pace with your favorite shows. But Apple and Roku are negotiating right now with cable companies and trying to get internet streaming of regular TV. Then, you'll be able to watch live TV as well. When that happens, you'll hook up a tiny Roku to your TV by HDMI, and viola - instant home theater!!! No more blu-ray player, no more cable box. In fact, I'll bet someone even integrates Roku or Apple TV right into a TV in a year or 2. Plug in the TV, hang it on the wall, connect to your Wifi network, and NO CABLES at all!!!

Some other fun things the Roku allows you to do:

• Roku app: Push pictures and music from your iPhone.
• Plex: Link Roku to your home computer. Set up folders to stream ALL your movies, home movies, music, photos.
• Picasa/Shutterfly: Link Roku to your online albums.

Look, I'm not ready to cut the cords yet, but the writing is on the wall. I'm sure the Apple TV has similar features, but it certainly can't claim the volume of channels Roku has right now. For now, I can whole-heartedly recommend the Roku 3. Just go buy it and get started.

He's Still Got It!

Totally lost in the shuffle for me earlier this year was Arnold Schwarzenegger's return to feature films, The Last Stand. It was released in January amid Oscar season, and overlooked in lists of 2013 blockbusters. It didn't make a ton of money, but was favorably reviewed getting 60% at Rotten Tomatoes. 

So, it was released on video this past week, and being an Ah-nuld Aficionado, I thought I'd give it a shot. My one-word review:

AWESOME!

Perhaps I have devolved to the point where for me to truly enjoy a movie, I have to be surprised. Following movies too closely can spoil the plot, but it's easy to stay away from that. That's not what I'm talking about here. I am talking about expectations. If I go into a movie expecting to be blown away, and it is great but doesn't live up to the hype, it's still a disappointment.   

Prometheus is the perfect example here. A great movie, but it could never live up to 30+ years of Alien/Ridley Scott hype. The Last Stand is the opposite case. It came at me from the side, for the reasons above. Also, I didn't really hear much buzz about it. It seems everyone is waiting for the next Terminator/Predator/Conan Ah-nuld movie, and this little pic was just a small blip on the radar.

So am I ruining your movie experience simply by writing this? Probably! Look, Ah-nuld is older and will never be the physical star he once was. However, this movie acknowledges that, and plays to it. The action sequences were great, and there was a LOT of it. However, I have one thing for you to consider while you watch: flare gun. You'll know what I mean when you see it!!! Just see this one.

The Circle of Life

Never was Troy McClure so right... 

Two monkeys race a bear in a bicycle race. What's the worst thing that could happen? I have been laughing for two straight days watching this one! I'm only sorry I didn't post it sooner so Ian and Colin could watch it repeatedly on their drive home yesterday!

Ender's Game

The trailer is out:



Looks like the movie, which comes out November 1, 2013, is actually going to be pretty good. Although they seem to have given away a rather large surprise, but most people will probably not notice.  Can't wait to see this alone after Mia falls asleep.

Notre Dame Stadium Updates (Proposed)

Artist rendering of a future Notre Dame Stadium

I hate ESPN, but they sometimes have some good info.  This is the first I've heard about a proposed update to Notre Dame Stadium.  It's not much of a seating increase, only about 3,000 seats.  But it adds luxury boxes, a club-level, and some other high-end amenities that the Stadium doesn't have and would be lucrative to ND and appealing to future students and student-athletes.

Swarbrick is the biggest name quoted in the article, and everything is still undetermined, but ND usually doesn't release this type of info, and especially not with quotes by someone with Swarbrick's prestige, without having a fairly solid plan.  It'll be interesting to see how this develops in the next few years.

Oh, Molly!

So Ava had her first match with her new team, Cincinnati United, this past weekend. Ava and I got there first so she could warm up with her team, and Ali came a bit later for the start of the game with Molly and Piper. This photo is from kickoff. Note the linesman in the background...

Molly walks right up to the field, looks across and yells out for everyone on the sideline to hear:

"Is that a boy or a MIDGET?"

I don't think I can emphasize enough the stress placed by Molly on the word midget. I don't think he heard it on the opposite sideline, but everyone else did! I am still laughing!!!

PS: Of course, he did blow at least one offside call.

Reds 2013

So I've been devouring everything Reds related the past couple months in anticipation of the Reds run in 2013. For a couple of great reads, check out the ESPN Magazine cover article in the current baseball preview issue. Joey Votto shines as they declare him the best hitter in baseball. ESPN, by the way, predicts we lose the NLCS to the Nats. Another great read is the Redleg Nation Preview Wrap-Up. I'll get back to that in a bit.

I still believe 100% if Cueto doesn't pull an oblique in the NLDS last year, we are World Series Champs. This year, I am a bit concerned. I think we will do just fine in the NL Central. It would take a couple major injuries to hold us back from another division title. However, I think the playoffs will be tough. While we kept our team almost entirely intact (Choo notwithstanding), other contenders have significantly upgraded their rosters, and you can be sure Strasburg won't be shut down this season!

The biggest issue of spring clearly was what to do with Chapman. While it's great to have an exciting closer, Chapman is most valuable as a starter. What helps the team more?

• 200 innings as a starter, and in the rotation for the postseason
• 70 innings as a closer and perhaps a non-factor in the postseason (like 2012)

Clearly, he was signed (over $30 million) to be a starter. He was moved to closer when we had a closer break down last year (Madsen). We signed Broxton and Marshall to big contracts assuming both would be future closers, and now they are the most overpaid middle relievers in baseball. The only reason he is not starting this year is Dusty Baker. Chapman as a starter is the difference between a World Series title and another postseason flameout.

Anyway, I think Redleg Nation sums it up best in trying to predict the season. They analyzed every hitter and pitcher and predicted their WAR, comparing it to the actual WAR from 2012. That suggests an increase in team WAR at 8. That translates to 8 more wins than last year. He tempers that by guessing we'll lose 4 games to injuries. He also uses our record by run differential from 2012 as a baseline, feeling it more closely represents outcome. That ends up putting us at 95 wins this year. That sounds about right to me, and it should be plenty to win the Central.

The big question is the playoffs. Unless one of our pitchers makes a big leap this year, I just don't see us matching up against SF, LAD, WAS, DET or LAA. It should be a fun ride though!

Adios Google Reader

So Google Reader is going away, how sad.  I guess I am going to have to go all-in on twitter with all my feeds.  I am sure it will take some getting used to, but it beats losing all of my information sources.  I also uploaded our blog posts to twitter, so if you have the same problem as me, just follow me on twitter!

Cincinnati Subway

This blog post detailing a Cincinnati subway system that never was completed is relatively old, but still incredibly interesting.


Cincinnati could have been bigger than Chicago!

Miami Needs to Shut the F Up!

Kellen Winslow Jr. chillin' with Nevin Shapiro in a VIP section of a South Beach club - IN 2003!

So on Tuesday, the NCAA delivered it's official notice of allegations to the University of Miami - Da U. As a result, there is NEAR UNIVERSAL OUTCRY by Miami, and by the media - AGAINST the NCAA!!!

How did the NCAA become the bad guy in this situation? Well, it turns out that the NCAA paid the lawyer of the booster at the heart of this scandal to help in their investigation by obtaining depositions on behalf of the NCAA. While not illegal, it oversteps the bounds of the NCAA's investigative powers. Therefore, EVERYONE from Miami president Donna Shalala to nearly everyone in the media is calling the NCAA out, demanding the NCAA back down. Why are the stakes so high? Because the NCAA cited the dreaded lack of institutional control in the allegations, the most severe charge available.

How did we get to this point? How did Miami become the victim and the NCAA the bad guy?

Renegade Miami football booster spells out illicit benefits to players

Miami says the charges are all media hype. Throw out the charges.
I would ask you to review what actually happened at Miami. The link is the original Yahoo! article blowing open the case. This article was based on convicted Ponzi schemer Nevin Shapiro. A huge Miami booster, he gave so many improper benefits to Miami football and basketball players between 2002 and 2010 that it makes your head spin. What are we talking about? Memorabilia, huge cash payments, dinners, clubs, strip clubs, yacht parties, prostitutes, and yes - even an abortion paid for by Shapiro! Do you believe Shalala who says these are all media hype, or do you believe Shapiro the convicted felon? Well, Shapiro has no reason to lie, as he is already in jail. He also has the receipts, ledgers and PICTURES to prove his statements. I think it is painfully obvious that a lot of bad stuff was happening at Miami, even if you nitpick the details.

Miami says this is dragging on so long it is ruining their school. Throw out the charges.
Allegations first arose in September 2010. The investigation is now complete. It would have been complete months ago had Miami not argued and went back and forth on the notice of allegations. So let's just say it's been 2 years. How long did USC's investigation take? Over 4 years. Looks to me that the NCAA did a pretty good job getting this done.

Miami says the investigation was botched. Throw out the charges.
As I said before the NCAA paid Shapiro's lawyer to depose witnesses to build a part of their case (they say less than 20% of the charges). Again, this is not illegal. Shapiro and his lawyer actually approached the NCAA with this offer. The problem is the NCAA has no real power. Yahoo! has more investigative authority than the NCAA. The media wants to blame NCAA president Emmert and the organization. Yet, Emmert serves exclusively as the representative of ALL THE UNIVERSITY PRESIDENTS IN THE NCAA! He isn't some outlaw taking down programs. He is trying his best to carry out his charge to keep the NCAA clean. Not because he has an axe to grind, but because the university presidents want him to! It's a tough job. The NCAA made a mistake on this one, but this isn't a court of law. It doesn't negate all the bad things Miami did.

Finally, a lot of media folks are taking another look at the Penn State scandal as another example of the NCAA overstepping its bounds. They point out that the State of Pennsylvania is suing the NCAA over this, suggesting the NCAA was again wrong. Uhhh, NO! Before talking heads spout out this as an example of the NCAA run amok, they should check the details of this lawsuit. It was filed by the PA governor, who was the PA attorney general during the Sandusky time period. While AG, he refused to pursue allegations or even investigate until forced YEARS after the issues came up. Now, as governor he is suing the NCAA. Yeah, he went to Penn State! Not to mention the new PA AG ran on a platform that she would figure out WHY it took so long to prosecute Sandusky, and she had NOTHING to do with this lawsuit!!!

Getting back to the NCAA... In this case, the NCAA used a public document commissioned by PSU to investigate the Sandusky scandal. They didn't need to do their own investigation. Some may say this had nothing to do with football, but I say it has everything to do with football. The whole Sandusky situation was covered up by Paterno, the AD, and likely even the president of PSU. There is also evidence that the local and state police, and perhaps even the state attorney general knew of this. It was all swept under the rug for one reason - Penn State football. If this isn't a lack of institutional control, I don't know what is. It is a fact that the university presidents wanted IMMEDIATE action, and forced the NCAA into action. It is also a fact that there was near unanimous support for the death penalty for PSU football by those presidents. However, the NCAA actually worked with PSU and lessened the sanctions. The NCAA didn't overstep it's bounds. It enforced the will of the university presidents sending a message that football doesn't override an entire university.

Getting back to Miami. Donna Shalala needs to shut the F up. Miami lived by the renegade, glamorous South Beach image - and now it will pay the price. I think the death penalty is appropriate, but it is likely off the table due to the investigation errors. I wish the media would step back and look at the big picture. There is so much wrongdoing here by Miami. The NCAA is not the bad guy here. In the end, the will of the university presidents will be served.

Further Evidence: Cowherd is an Idiot

One of the most divisive sports personalities out there is Colin Cowherd. I usually don't get too worked up about his idiotic rants. I have long realized (and he has admitted) that he picks a position and argues it just to stir up the pot. On any given rant, half the audience agrees and loves him, the other half want to kill him. Either way, it's ratings as people listen!

Every once in a while, he goes so far off the reservation that he gets in trouble. He really stepped in it when he RIPPED John Wall after he was drafted. He said he couldn't be a leader as a point guard because he didn't have a father role model (Wall's father was in prison and died when Wall was 8). He had to tuck his tail between his legs on that one.

Now, I think he may have gone a step further. I drove 5 minutes to Subway this afternoon to get lunch. In the 5 minutes I was in the car, Cowherd laid out his theory about the Pacers:

People don't go to Pacers games because Indianapolis is racist.

Wha-what? So now Cowherd is calling out an entire city (and really Indiana) as racist? I heard a bit of his argument, but not all as I expect this one to explode for the rest of his show. He claims Indy is a relatively affluent region, with not a huge minority population. He also says there is residual backlash over the Ron Artest fight incident. Does he mean the fight IN DETROIT BACK IN 2004??? Really?

Let's see if the facts back up Cowherd (hint: they don't).

Ron Artest
That fight happened over 8 years ago. The Pacers took a beating after it happened, but it also occurred at the end of the Reggie Miller era. The Pacers were in a state of decline. They continued to play well, and made the playoffs for the next 2 seasons before really hitting the skids. It was not until 2011 that the Pacers even made it back to the playoffs after 4 years missing out. That cycle of losing, more than anything else, reasonably accounts for the downturn in attendance.

Attendance
Looking at the official NBA attendance numbers, Cowherd's basic premise that people don't go to Pacers games is wrong! When sorting by % attendance, the Pacers rank 23 of 30. The 7 teams below them include other "lily white" metro areas such as Atlanta, DC, New Orleans, Cleveland, Milwaukee and Detroit. Not only do these teams include prominent African American communities, it seems to include ALL the midwest NBA teams. That gets me to another REAL issue for Pacers attendance: NBA superstars are clustering to big market teams. All the major market teams have a "big 3" or a superstar. Look st the Eastern conference All-Star team. 2 Knicks, 3 Heat, 2 Celtics, 2 Bulls and the token single Net, Pacer, 76er and Cav. The NBA has a real problem. When you put all the superstars in the major markets, the other teams suffer.


Racism
According to the 2010 census, Indianapolis is 62% white, 28% black. That's actually quite a bit more diverse than the USA in general (78% to 13%). I would also argue that having a higher % of black population does not mean more people will go to games. Look at Atlanta (38% white to 54% black) or Cleveland (37% to 53%). They are worse for attendance than the Pacers.

I just don't see how Cowherd can claim race has anything to do with low attendance at Pacers games. The Pacers are improving, but really only just got back to playoff level basketball in 2012. They lack a legit superstar, and their attendance isn't as bad as a lot of other teams. Notably, the midwest teams (with the exception of the Bulls) all seem to lack star power and are suffering in attendance.

Cowherd needs to backtrack on this one in a hurry. I'm not sure how the rest of his show went, but I hope he was brutalized by callers, emails and guests. I do have a fondness for Indy, but I would go ballistic if he said this crap about Cincinnati!

Top 10 Films of 2012

As the Oscars approach, I thought it would be a good time to do something different. I feel like 2012 was an exceptional year for movies. I saw quite a few outstanding films, and decided that I wanted to do my very own Top 10 list. I would have done this sooner, but I didn't actually see a lot of the late 2012 movies until the past few weeks as they have started to come out. I can STRONGLY recommend each of these to all of you - many of which really surprised me. So without further ado, here are my top films of 2012...

10) The Grey
This movie was completely lost in the shuffle for 2012. It was released January 27, and was all but forgotten when the summer blockbusters rolled around. Had it been a December release, I think Liam Neeson would have been nominated for best actor.

9) Silver Linings Playbook
I hate Bradley Cooper. For me, he will always be the jerk fiancee from Wedding Crashers! However, he turned in a phenomenal performance in this one, as did Jennifer Lawrence. This is THE date movie of 2012.

8) Flight
I saw this expecting to see an amazing movie about a plane crash. Turns out the plane crash was only the setup for the movie, which has nothing to do with said crash. If Denzel doesn't get another Oscar for this one, I'll be pissed (unless it's Joaquin Phoenix, who is the best actor to never win an Oscar).

7) The Dark Knight Rises
Look. The Nolan Batman trilogy redefined superhero movies. These were so damn good, it's unbelievable. While this does not rise to the level of The Dark Knight, few movies do.

• BONUS LIST: The top 5 superhero movies of all-time for my money: 5) Superman 2 4) The Dark Knight Rises 3) The Avengers 2) The Dark Knight 1) Spider-Man 2

6) The Avengers
A completely different approach from Nolan's Batman trilogy. This movie is the perfect summer blockbuster. Marvel carefully created several franchise characters, released their movies, then brought them together for this mega-free-for-all. So much fun, it is just a perfect superhero film. DC's upcoming Justice League has a very tough act to follow.

5) Chronicle
If you haven't seen this yet, I command you to immediately buy, rent or download it! This is one of those "found footage" films, but it completely flips the genre on end. I predict Dane DeHaan will be a Hollywood megastar within a few years.

4) Skyfall
Best. Bond. Ever. Think about all the evil villains in the Bond franchise. They all have awesome, cool lairs/hideouts. In this movie, we see James Bond's back-story, including his own lair of sorts - the eponymous Skyfall. His lair kicks the shit out of that of every single one of those villains'. I don't know how a Bond movie could ever top this one, which does make me a little sad.

3) End of Watch
This movie had zero appeal to me on release. Another cop buddy movie, perhaps the oldest genre in Hollywood. However, it kept popping up on other top 10 lists, so I gave it a shot. Holy hell was it awesome. Hands down the best cop movie I have ever seen. If you don't tear up for this one, you have a heart of stone.

2) Argo
This movie is great. Literally, a perfect movie. It has everything you could want from a film. Another guy who is not my favorite - Ben Affleck stars and directs. However, he is without a doubt one of the best directors in Hollywood. All 3 of his features are just amazing. Argo is without a doubt his best work both as an actor and director. He was absolutely robbed by not being nominated for director.

1) Zero Dark Thirty
I'll just make it simple. This movie literally defines the decade from 9/11 until Bin Laden's death. It is absolutely riveting. It runs 2:37, yet seems to blow by. I was totally engrossed in this one from the opening credits to the finale. You may not even breath for the third act. Kathryn Bigelow won best director and best picture for The Hurt Locker. This movie is 10 times better. It deserves best picture.